To read. I will be making frequent reference to this map as it will help us understand the course of the campaign. As general in chief of all unit forces in 1864, u. S. Grant devised accord mated offensive by a number of union army stretching from louisiana all the way to virginia. As you know already, the two most important of these offenses were those of the army of the , andac here in virginia that of william t sherman, who commanded what was called the military division of the mississippi. Grants orders to sherman for the campaign, dated april 4, 18 64, were pretty straightforward. Grant told sherman to move against the confederate armies of tennessee commanded by general joseph e johnson, and to , get into the interior of the enemies country as far as you can and inflict as much damage as you can. At the same time, sherman was supposed to prevent johnson from of his armyements to reinforce either lees army in virginia or Confederate Forces out in louisiana. That is shermans object